Be Aware! Portion of Center Street Will Be Closed This Summer For Bridge Replacement

The new bridge, which crosses Mill Creek, will have two vehicle travel lanes and one left-turn lane, plus new shoulders, curbs, and sidewalks on each side.

Mill Creek in Salem Photo By: Tim King

(SALEM) - A portion of Center Street NE will be closed to through-traffic between 17th Street NE and 14th Street NE from June 1st, until September 30th, to allow for replacement of the bridge crossing Mill Creek.

The narrow, functionally obsolete bridge built in 1914 is being replaced with a new, wider bridge that will accommodate automobile, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic.

Additionally, approximately 500 feet of Center Street NE east of the bridge will be realigned to match the new bridge, along with replacement and relocation of existing utilities.

A temporary pedestrian bridge will be installed to allow pedestrian traffic during the project.

A detour will route eastbound and westbound traffic to 12th Street NE, State Street, and 17th Street NE.

The estimated total cost for the project is $2.6 million.

It is part of the more than $6 million in OTIA funds earmarked to improve the Center Street Bridge and four other Salem bridges.

Additional bridges scheduled to be improved in 2006 are the Liberty Street Bridge over Mill Creek (scour protection) and the Turner Road Bridge over Mill Creek (widening).

Bridges scheduled for improvement in 2007 are the State Street Bridge over Mill Creek (scour protection) and the 25th Street Bridge over Shelton Ditch (widening).